Come join us in Wenham for our We will be celebrating 171 years of Scottish-American tradition this July. Come join us at the First Church Wenham and the Claflin-Richards House, part of the Wenham Museum, for a day of family history, bonding, and fun. We will be returning to our historic haunt for the first time in over 5 years! Festivities begin in the morning with some coffee and socializing, which will be followed by an excursion to the Wenham Museum where family members of all ages can find something of interest from educational displays to model trains and all kinds of interactive play. Catered luncheon planned for across the street at First Church in Wenham.

If you would like to RSVP online, please fill out this form. Formal invitations will be sent in June.

Schedule of Events (tentative)

9:30 am – Meet and greet – First Church Wenham

11:30 am – Lunch – First Church Wenham

12:30 pm – Business meeting

Socializing to follow the business meeting.

Visit the Claflin-Richards House and Museum

Saturday, May 18, 2024, 10:00 a.m. Wenham, MA

Our homestead is calling us! We will tour the Claflin-Richards House, placed on the National Register for Historic Places over 50 years ago, and the adjacent museum, at 132 Main Street in Wenham. The house was originally inhabited by Robert MacClaflin and his family and was constructed circa 1690. The house portrays the history of how people lived over three centuries, and the museum includes additional exhibits and model trains. These are properties of the Wenham Museum and we will arrive at 10:00 am to enjoy the exhibits, then head into Salem, MA for lunch.

Past Events!

Lexington Patriots Day Celebration

Saturday April 13, 2024, 12:30 p.m. meet up time. Look for the Scottish Flag.

LOCATION UPDATE: We will meet at 12:30 at the Minuteman Visitors Center. Look for the McLaughlin Family tartan or the Scottish Lion, then walk over to the battlefield at around 12:45 (~5 min walk).

Our cousin from 1775, John Claflin, responded to the call to arms and his Hopkinton, MA Minute Men militia gathered for the original event so let’s revisit this historic moment in US history. We will watch as the Minute Men reenact the second call to arms for Captain John Parker on the afternoon of April 19, 1775 and the skirmish that followed. See the Lexington town website for an up-to-date schedule of Patriot’s Day events. Weather permitting, we will meet at 12:30 pm at the Lexington Battle Green Minuteman Visitors Center.

https://www.lexingtonma.gov/2011/2024-Patriots-Day-Schedule-of-Event

Genealogy Workshop with Jeff Scheibe

Thursday, April 4, 2024 7:30 pm, Zoom.

Come join us for a Genealogy workshop! Jeff Scheibe will be presenting interesting family insights found in our genealogy, some tools and ideas for how to get started, and insights. We have current copies of the public-facing Claflin Family genealogy – add your branch of the family and send it back! We do not publicly publish any branches of the family which contain living members. The Zoom link will be available on the Facebook event and the website.

We are celebrating 170 years of Scottish-American tradition! Come join us at Sunset Hill House, just north of Lincoln, NH, for a weekend of family bonding and fun. Festivities begin the evening of July 26th and continue into the morning of July 28th. Events to look forward to include a welcome dinner, outings to local family-friendly attractions, and a traditional Scottish Ceilidh, all while exploring the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire!

If you would like to RSVP early, please fill out this form. Formal invitations will be sent later this spring. Let us know if you would like to be added to the mailing list.

· If you are interested in staying at the Sunset Hill house overnight you can make reservations by calling their registration number, 603-823-7244. Please tell them that you are with the Claflin Family Reunion to access the block of rooms reserved for Claflins. Lodging expenses are not covered by the CFA. There are also many other lovely hotels and inns in the area.

Schedule of events:

Tentative; times to be finalized:

Friday, July 26:

· Informal dinner at 7:00 on Friday, NOT covered by the CFA. Let us know if you are interested in joining us to hang out.

Saturday, July 27:

· Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at the Sunset Hill House, free to CFA attendees

· General CFA Member’s Meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. at the Sunset Hill House, free to CFA attendees.

· Leave for local attractions such as Clark’s Bears, where the CFA could get a group rate and has inside activities should there be rain. Other area favorites are the Flume Gorge (in NH’s Franconia Notch State Park), Loon Mountain or the Hobo Railroad. Departure is from Sunset Hill House following general meeting at approximately 10:30 a.m.

· Portable Picnic lunch at approximately 12:30 p.m., free to CFA attendees to be enjoyed at attraction.

· Scottish Ceilidh at 4:30 p.m. at the Sunset Hill House, free to CFA attendees.

· Dinner at 6:00 p.m. at the Sunset Hill House, free to CFA attendees.

Sunday, July 28

· Breakfast at 8:30 a.m., free to CFA attendees.

Saturday, July 31, 2021

At the Patton Homestead, 650 Asbury Street, Hamilton, MA

(2.5 miles from Claflin-Richards House, Wenham, MA)

Join members of the Claflin Family for this in-person event (Zoom meeting option available below)

Reunion Day Schedule:

10:00-10:15:           Meet and greet

10:15-11:30:           Activities:

                                      Tours of the Patton Home & archives

                                       Highland and lawn games

                                       General socializing

11:30-12:30:           Lunch

12:00-1:00:             General Meeting – For Zoom link, please email claflinfamilyassociation@gmail.com

1:00-3:00:               Socializing and games

We will observe all local Covid19 requirements in force at the time of the reunion.

Directions from points South and West:

From I-95N, Take exit 70 for US-1 N/Newbury St. /Newburyport Turnpike, Continue on US-1N for 3.8 miles. Turn right, onto Ipswich Rd, continue for 1.3 miles. Turn right onto Asbury St., continue for 1.7 miles. The Patton Homestead will be on your right.

Directions from points North: From I-95 S, Take exit 76A to merge onto MA-97 S/Killam Hill Rd toward Topsfield. Continue on MA-97 for 3.0 miles. Turn left onto Ipswich Rd., continue for 2.1 miles Turn right onto Asbury St., continue for 1.7 miles The Patton Homestead will be on your right.

All Claflin family members are welcome to attend the 164th annual reunion at the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury in Shrewsbury, MA.  This year shares the story of Claflin Civil War service.

Schedule:  Coffee and Conversation at 9:00 a.m.

Business meeting, election of officers at 10:00 a.m.

Lunch at Noon

“One Man’s Civil War” narration and songs presented by Judy Cook at 1:00 p.m.  Judy’s great-great-grandfather, Gilbert Claflin wrote letters about his service in the Union Army and Judy shares both the actual correspondence and renditions of stories and songs popular during the 1860’s.

Scottish Tea following.

Tours of the Shrewsbury Historical Society available.

The First Congregational Church is located at 19 Church Road in Shrewsbury, MA

Claflins from as far away as Texas and California gathered to discuss ancestry and to visit the Wenham Historical Association and the Claflin-Richards House on July 29, 2017.  Family members were treated to music and a primer on the bagpipes by Stephen Thomford from the North Shore Pipe Band of Massachusetts.  A catered lunch was provided to all attendees and plans are underway for the 164th reunion on July 28, 2018.  Mark your calendars now!

Join your extended family at the Wenham Museum featuring the Claflin-Richards House on July 29, 2017.  Coffee and Conversation starts at 9:00 a.m. and then at 10:00 a.m. the Claflin Family Association’s business meeting will begin.  Elections and by-law amendments are on the agenda, so please attend.  Lunch will be served at noon and tours of the homestead will be available.

The Wenham Historical Association is located at 132 Main Street, Wenham, MA 01984.  A fun exhibit, “Shake, Rattle & Roll!,” is all about mechanical toys and how they work! Explore one of the most fun collections at the museum and you’ll find toys that walk, spin, bounce, and move in all sorts of unexpected ways.  Bring the family for a great day with your Claflin cousins.

Invitations were sent to our mailing list.  Did not receive one?  Email Claflinfamilyassociation@gmail.com for more info.

Hope you are planning to attend the 162nd Claflin Family Reunion in Warwick, RI.  Invitations were sent last month and we are ready for a great day near the beautiful beaches of Rhode Island.  We have a wonderful location, the Old Buttonwoods Casino (see previous post) .   For more details, email claflinfamilyassociation@gmail.com.  See you there!